Meet our Co-Chairs, Tynan & Jonathan
Meet our guest speaker for November, Brendan Barry
Brendan is a Board Director and leads the wilderness-based treks with the not-for-profit Trojan’s Trek.
Currently, Brendan holds a pivotal role as the Program Development Coordinator for Wellbeing Support and the Critical Incident Stress Management Program at the Department of Police, Fire, and Emergency Management in Tasmania. With his deep understanding of mental health challenges from personal experience, Brendan is driven by a fiery passion to enhance Mental Health literacy, reshape conversations around mental health, and advocate for the power of lived experience.
Enjoying fishing, socialising, politics and camping, Brendan also is the father of a son who is all heart, Callan, and a strong-willed 11 year old daughter, Bella.
Brendan firmly believes that a holistic approach is essential, one that combines clinical expertise with a lived experience workforce. Alongside treating the signs and symptoms of mental illness, Brendan emphasises the significance of exploring our identities, beliefs, and values, as well as fostering a strong sense of purpose for both recovery and living a truly fulfilling life.
Watch November’s meeting
The National Men's Lived Experience of Suicide Network (NMLESN)
The National Men’s Lived Experience of Suicide Network builds on work from the Roses in the Ocean Lived Experience of Suicide Summit of 2021. The Australian Men’s Health Forum (AMHF) was invited to co-chair a session with Roses in the Ocean specifically focusing on male suicide. At that LE Summit, the Network was established as one small way in which we can do our bit to address the concerning fact that 75% of suicides in Australia are by males.
The National Men’s Lived Experience of Suicide Network (NMLESN) is primarily an online forum, meeting monthly. We may occasionally meet at conferences or other events where there is likely to be representation. The Network will provide connection, learning, and opportunities to contribute to suicide prevention policy and program development.
What is a lived experience of suicide?
Australian Men’s Health Forum (AMHF) is federally funded as a peak advisory body, and works to create a healthier future for everyone by taking action to improve the lives and health of men and boys in Australia.
We aim to:
- create a safe and supportive environment for the men in the network to meet.
- develop a sense of community, a safe space to talk about positives in life as well as the difficulties and challenges.
- network, listen and support men with lived experience of suicide to create more effective strategies to prevent suicide among men.
- provide the suicide prevention sector, governments, research and the community with a national network of well trained and supported men with lived experience of suicide
- provide a platform for the voice of men at risk of suicide, those who live with suicidal thoughts and for those who have attempted suicide
- support men with lived experience of suicide to share their lived experience in a variety of roles such as:
- contributing to policy submissions in areas that may impact on male suicide
- as speakers at conferences or other forums and meetings
- as leaders of programs that seek to address male suicidality
- supporting and mentoring other men coming to terms with their own lived experience
- support the development of new male Lived Experience champions/speakers.
- be a safe space that some men can contribute without the requirement to be out front playing public roles
- ensure that suicide is seen through a broader lens than just mental illness.
- help grow practical supports in local communities that can meaningfully connect with local men on a peer-to-peer level, rather than ‘professional to client’ relationship.
At 6:00 – 7:30 pm (AEDT) on the last Wednesday of every month via ZOOM.
Upcoming dates are:
- Wednesday 29 November
These meetings are co-chaired by a representative from both Roses in the Ocean and AMHF, currently:
- Tynan Narywonczk for Roses in the Ocean
- Jonathan Bedloe for Australian Men’s Health Forum
- We typically start with an opportunity to connect with each other for 10-15 minutes.
- A guest speaker joins us to share their perspectives and experiences on roles and opportunities for people with lived experience which we openly discuss as a group
- Questions from and conversation with participants in the meeting
- Discussion of current issues and opportunities for Men’s Lived Experience advocacy
- A brief closing to ensure everyone is in a good space at the end of the meeting.
When meeting online with more than 10 – 12 people, we will break into smaller groups for some portion of the meeting to ensure that people have the opportunity to share challenges and successes in their lives.
Guest speakers are being invited to join the sessions to share their stories in response to the following points:
- The ways in which people with lived experience contribute to suicide prevention, by engaging with organisations such as:
- Board participation or contribution to strategy and decision making
- Contribution to program development and evaluation
- What do they do to manage their health and wellbeing?
- Information, skills and knowledge that can increase the skills and capacity of members in their LE advocacy.
Talk with a mate who can relate
samsn are Australia’s leading organisation for male survivors of child sexual abuse and their supporters.
Every man needs a listening ear from time to time.
Mentoring Men is a registered Australian charity providing free long-term one-to-one life mentoring for men who are going through some challenges or changes in their life.
The idea that early intervention can prevent a problem escalating into crisis is firmly at the heart of what they do.
* The National Men’s Lived Experience of Suicide Network is open to men only aged 18+, who are Australian residents.
If you are younger than 18 years of age and would like to join the Network, please email Tynan at [email protected] or Jonathan at [email protected] to discuss your individual circumstances.
Watch ‘Establishing a Men’s Lived Experience Network’ LE Summit 2021 Workshop below
New guide helps men to help a mate
One way men can “make time for mates” is by reaching out to mates who may be struggling in some way. With this in mind, the Australian Men’s Health Forum (AMHF), produced the “How to Help a Mate Doing it Tough” guide.